


Under a Blanket of Blue

by MacksDramaticShenanigans



Series: Happy Steve Bingo Fills 2018 [7]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Boys In Love, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Bucky is a scifi nerd okay, Cold Weather, Cuddling & Snuggling, Happy Steve Bingo, M/M, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Reminiscing, The Hobbit References, Warm, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, except lowkey fuck the ending bc they still all get along
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-25 16:39:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16201472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MacksDramaticShenanigans/pseuds/MacksDramaticShenanigans
Summary: “You’re so cold,” Bucky says. “S’it still raining out?” He flips his book over so as to not lose his place, and twists a little so he can use his left hand to tug the blanket over to cover Steve too.“It is,” Steve answers and gratefully accepts Bucky’s offer of the blanket. He wriggles closer to Bucky so they can both fit under it. They’re completely pressed together— Steve’s pretty much half in Bucky’s lap, but Bucky doesn't seem to mind. He looks happy with it, if anything.As Bucky tucks the blanket around Steve, Steve can already feel the warmth returning to his body. His fingers feel tingly as they defrost, as do his toes, and he tucks the latter under Bucky’s calves. “You’re so warm,” he mumbles contentedly.





	Under a Blanket of Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Helllloooo! Happy Halloween Month! Halloween and fall are my absolute favorite so I definitely would like to write some Halloween/fall inspired fics! Hopefully I’ll be able to come up with something good and write a few fics before the month is up!
> 
> Until then, here’s Happy Steve Bingo Filll #7! The prompt for this one is “‘You’re so warm’” so I’m hoping that the warm tone I was going for shines through. It’s been raining the past two days here which has definitely helped me set the mood for this fic. I’m trying to channel fall feels and cozy warmth, so I hope that comes across haha. The idea for this actually came to me when I was scrolling through tumblr (big surprise) and I saw a post that was titled “things I’m looking forward to in autumn” and just listed a bunch of fall-y things and after taking on look at this I couldn’t stop picturing this scenario!
> 
> I wrote the entirety of this fic yesterday, most of it in class tbh haha. It’s unbetaed, as per usual. All mistakes are my own!
> 
> Title comes from [Under a Blanket of Blue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxnt-sp53y4) by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
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> Hope you guys like this!

It takes Steve three tries before the grooves of the key match up with the lock and it slides in. He lets out a frosty sigh of relief as the lock turns, and his whole body buzzes with excitement over the fact that he’s this much closer to escaping the cold and rain.

The door pushes open and Steve’s immediately hit by a wall of warmth. He sighs again and closes his eyes for a brief second, welcoming the heat that envelopes him as he crosses the threshold. He wipes the soles of his boots on the doormat and shakes out his wet umbrella outside before dropping it into the metal umbrella bucket. Steve closes the door behind him, finally shutting out the icy weather and locking in the warmth.

His fingers are frozen solid thanks to him having forgotten his gloves on his way out that morning, so it takes him a good few seconds to bend his fingers enough to unzip his jacket. Once the coat is off and hanging on the hook to dry, Steve pads deeper into the apartment, fully set on turning into the kitchen to make himself a cup of something warm.

Upon entering the living room, however, Steve’s plans for the hot drink are put on hold at the sight of a giant blanket fort set up in the middle of the room. It’s constructed against the couch, and two of the chairs from their dining room table are being used. Steve counts at least five blankets, but he’s sure there are more he just can’t see. The fort takes up nearly all the space in the living room.

Immediately, it brings him back to the 1940’s when he and Bucky would scrounge up every single blanket in the house (the Barnes’ household always had more thanks to Bucky’s three sisters) and throw them together in a measly excuse of a fort.

A soft smile curves onto Steve’s lips as he pads around the side to find the entrance. He stops when he sees the tips of Bucky’s socked toes poking out of the side, and a mushroom cloud of warmth spreads through his chest at the sight. He already knows the fort is completely Bucky’s doing, and Steve's glad that today seems to be a good day for him. He’s remembering more. He has to be.

Steve reaches out and closes his fingers around a corner of one of the top blankets and gives it a little shake. “Hey, Buck, you in there?” He asks out of respect for Bucky’s privacy.

An answering grunt rings out from inside the fort followed by the muffled sound of a page turning. 

Steve bites his lip and grins around it. “Am I allowed in?” He questions politely. 

“Yeah, c’mon in, Stevie,” Bucky replies. He uses his foot to hook around the edge of the blanket serving as a door and starts to pull it to the side. 

_ Stevie _ . It’s definitely a good day when Bucky brings out the nicknames. 

Steve pushes the curtain aside the rest of the way and ducks down so he can crawl in. 

Bucky doesn't look up from the paperback book in his lap as Steve enters. He’s sitting there with his back pressed up against the couch. He looks positively cozy in his soft knit sweater, his fluffy hair tied up in a loose bun. A few strands of hair are escaping the tie, falling into his eyes and Steve wants to tuck them away. There’s a thick, fuzzy blanket draped over Bucky’s lap, not quite long enough to cover his toes. A discarded, half full mug sits to Bucky’s left, and he absentmindedly reaches for it with his metal hand to take a sip. 

Once the mug is replaced Bucky looks up from his book and gives Steve his full attention. He smiles warmly at Steve, the lines of his forehead smoothing and eyes softening, and holds open his right arm, inviting Steve to crawl under it. “Hey, Stevie,” he greets. “How’s everyone doing?” He asks, referring to the rest of the Avengers whom Steve had been with not too long ago.

Steve shuffles on his knees over to Bucky’s side and immediately curls up beside him, tucking himself into Bucky’s body. Bucky’s so warm, and Steve melts into him right away. “They’re good,” he answers. “Natasha sends her best.”

Bucky grins at that. He and Natasha had taken a liking to each other, and it makes Steve happy that Bucky’s getting comfortable with his friends and is befriending them himself. 

Bucky's hand drops over Steve’s shoulders and he starts to rub his flesh palm against Steve’s back. It’s comforting, for the both of them, and his touch sends warm shivers through Steve. 

“You’re so cold,” Bucky says. “S’it still raining out?” He flips his book over so as to not lose his place, and twists a little so he can use his left hand to tug the blanket over to cover Steve too.

“It is,” Steve answers and gratefully accepts Bucky’s offer of the blanket. He wriggles closer to Bucky so they can both fit under it. They’re completely pressed together— Steve’s pretty much half in Bucky’s lap, but Bucky doesn't seem to mind. He looks happy with it, if anything.

As Bucky tucks the blanket around Steve, Steve can already feel the warmth returning to his body. His fingers feel tingly as they defrost, as do his toes, and he tucks the latter under Bucky’s calves. “You’re so warm,” he mumbles contentedly. 

“S’what you always used to say back then,” Bucky replies. He ducks his head down to press a firm kiss to the top of Steve’s head. 

Steve’s eyes flutter shut and a peaceful smile settles faintly over his lips. They sit in silence for a few seconds before Steve tilts his head onto Bucky’s chest. “You made a blanket fort,” he points out, glancing around the inside of the fort before tilting his chin up to properly look at Bucky. 

“I made a blanket fort,” Bucky confirms. “We used to always make ‘em,” he adds. Something fond softens his features, and it makes Steve so happy to see Bucky looking so comfortable and secure about his past and his memories. 

“They were never as elaborate as this one,” Steve says with a chuckle.

Bucky laughs along and shakes his head. “No, they weren't,” he agrees. “‘Specially when we made ‘em at your place. We had to steal your mom’s bed sheets too just to make one half the size of this one.”

“I loved those forts,” Steve says. “Even if they barely covered us and fell down every damn second, I loved them.” 

Bucky’s hand trails up Steve’s back and comes up near his neck. He scratches at the nape, just where his hair tapers off, and Steve practically purrs at the touch. He feels like a cat, spread across Bucky, invading all of his space, but he can't find it in himself to feel bad. He missed being able to tangle up with Bucky like this, went so long without it that he’d started to think he would never get it again. Now that he has it again, he’ll take every second he can get, and he’s sure the sentiment is returned by Bucky. 

“I remember,” Bucky starts, and Steve hums encouragingly. “Whenever we made these forts, at the end of the night I would always read to you. And you’d,” he laughs fondly at the memory, “you’d always fall asleep on me. Every time.” 

Steve snorts, but doesn’t deny it. “You have a very soothing voice,” he supplies. “And you make a very comfortable pillow. Much better than those shit ones we used to have. They got flat so fast and there wasn’t anything we could do about it.”

The arm Bucky has around Steve squeezes him gently. “S’okay, though. I liked it,” he says. “I liked being able to feel you breathing. Couldn’t have you skippin’ out on me.”

Steve tips his head up and brushes his lips against the underside of Bucky’s jaw in a featherlight kiss. “Speaking of reading,” he starts. “What were you reading before I interrupted?” He asks curiously, gesturing towards the book with his chin.

Bucky lifts the book from his lap and turns the cover towards Steve. Blue and grey mountains and rows of green trees stare back at him. “S’ _ The Hobbit _ ,” he answers, the corners of his lips pulling up in a shy smile. “I never got to finish it before I shipped out. ‘Parently there’s three more books and they’re movies too. Didn’t really remember what happened in this one though, so I thought I’d start over.”

“Is that your copy?” Steve asks, surprise leaking into his voice. He sits up a little and squints at the book. “How…?”

Bucky shakes his head. “Nah, s’not the one I had back in ‘37. Tony, actually, gave it to me. Thought I’d appreciate the original cover.” Bucky rolls his eyes, but the gratitude is clear. 

Steve settles back into Bucky’s arms. “Read it to me?” He requests softly. 

Bucky’s eyes shift from the book cover over to Steve’s face and they flicker over his features, as if trying to make out whether or not he means it. When he finds nothing but complete seriousness in Steve’s face he smiles to himself and rights the book. “I didn’t get too far before you got home,” he explains as he starts to flip back to the first page. “I’ll start from the beginning.”

“You don’t have to do that, Buck,” Steve replies. “I don’t mind not hearing the beginning.”

“S’okay, Stevie. I want to,” Bucky insists. “We can read it together.”

“I like that,” Steve says. “I like doing things with you.”

“I like doing things with you too, sweetheart,” Bucky agrees, the pet name falling easily from his lips. 

Steve’s heart swells in his chest and it’s times like these when he’s reminded of just how lucky he is to have Bucky back. He may have his fair share of good and bad days alike, but it’s good days like this that make all the bad ones worth it. 

He shuffles in Bucky’s arms a bit so he can reach across his body and snatch up his forgotten mug. It’s tea, chamomile, and surprisingly, it’s still hot. Steve takes a long sip, letting the warm liquid trickle down his throat and heat him from the inside out. After replacing the mug he twists so that he’s lying across Bucky instead of curled into his side, his head pillowed comfortably in his lap. 

Bucky snorts a little at Steve’s fidgety antics, but he doesn’t comment on the new position. Just switches the book from his left hand to his right and threads his metal fingers into Steve’s hair and brushes through the strands. He holds the book over Steve’s stomach and clears his throat a little before he starts to read. 

“‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit,’” Bucky starts. His voice is soft and honey smooth as he reads, each word falling from his lips with ease and confidence.

Steve lets his eyes fall shut and gives himself over to the soothing timbre of Bucky’s voice.

“‘Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.’”

These blanket forts are sort of like their version of hobbit holes, Steve thinks as he basks in the sound of Bucky’s voice washing over him. They’re not nasty or dirty or wet either; there’s no worm ends or oozy smells. The forts are warm and cozy and full of memories from the past and memories waiting to be made, full of life and so much love. 

And to Steve, that means comfort. That means home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think with a kudos and a comment!
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> Come say [hi](http://brooklynbabybucky.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> And come check out this cool [discord](https://discordapp.com/invite/8gybKrj) for marvel content creators! You can find more information @marvelcreatorsnetwork on tumblr or feel free to ask about it in the comments!


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